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Category Archives: Planning

It’s been a while since I had the urge to write anything, and an awful lot has happened in the last 2 weeks. There’s been the new kitchen, the adapted bathroom, the runs to the dechetterie (tip), and the endless painting. The main thing is that although we’re still camping in some ways (trying to find a towel is interesting) there are improvements in our living conditions every day.

Now that the kitchen is operational (first meal cooked from scratch was Fajitas on Thursday) the bathroom is next on the list. This may sound like it’s in the wrong order, but thanks to our former landlord we have the keys to the old place for a few more days yet.The bathroom was finished in a quite foul rough Artex kind of way, designed to absorb nicotine and pick up as much dust as possible. After a few discussions French friend José said he would be happy to skim it with a layer or two of plaster, and at a later date, replace or lower the ceiling with a false one. A fine idea, as even the lights were quite foul. Off came the radiator, the loo was unbolted, and José set to.

So with other priorities (like trying to earn money while doing all this) being sorted, the bathroom is having a few days in the limelight. The skim was pretty rough and ready (or French as we like to call it) so some tidying up with a scraper and an old chisel was needed, then a coat of white paint on everything, back on with the radiator, and Sir Bob is indeed your Mother’s brother. Although I have braved the nicotine and

cobwebs in order to feel vaugely clean, it is now getting to the point when invited people can use the bathroom without feeling like they have been in some kind of dungeon.

There are a lot of things I could write about the last couple of weeks, but the biggest one has to be the help we have had from everyone. From transporting furniture and clothing, to tip runs and cleaning, there is a role call of willing helpers, without whom Annette would be in an asylum, and I would be a gibbering wreck, hugging my coffee machine in a corner of the sejour. You know who you are. Thank You All.

After the last minute dash to get from the airport to the bank and then the notaires office, Miles now has The Key!

The plan is this ;

Thursday (tomorrow & a bank holiday) – without roadworks and general mayhem in Cruzy and with the help of some good local friends, several vans and other peoples trailers we move the bulk of our (now packed) possessions into No.36

Friday – start cleaning

Saturday – carry on cleaning

Sunday – more cleaning

Monday – phone lines switch over & sign documents

Tuesday – residency begins !!

Good eh? So with tape measure in hand we excitedly went to the house today to size things up a bit before the Big Garage Emptying Day tomorrow.

Scrap the above.

Turns out we are not doing that at all. The existing owners have not yet removed quite a few things from the house; tables, chairs, mattresses, boxes, cupboards, tv – etc etc. They are removing all these things on Monday on the day of signing – so we will really have to wait until then to start doing anything.

We have a deadline to get No.44 cleaned and patched-up before 12th November, but our departure (taking into account transport (vans/trailers etc) and existing work commitments) is now set-back a week too, so it will all end up having to happen within 24 hours and then it’s straight back to work.